Overview

• Cornell University announced on April 23 that it has withdrawn Kehlani as the headliner for its May 7 Slope Day concert.
• President Michael Kotlikoff cited division and discord caused by Kehlani’s past anti-Israel statements as the reason for the decision.
• Pro-Israel and Jewish student groups had protested the booking, arguing the artist's rhetoric was harmful to the campus community.
• The Trump administration’s $1 billion federal grant freeze linked to antisemitism investigations continues to place additional scrutiny on Cornell.
• Slope Day, an annual student-funded event, is intended to promote campus unity, a goal university leaders said was undermined by Kehlani’s selection.